Details and Ceremony Point Us to Jesus

Tardy, huh? A day late you say. Yup. That's right. I am. Sorry about that. I will try not to do it again. But I think maybe you'll forgive me. I think you Christians will, at least. Ever had a week where you just didn't feel like being spiritual? A week where it seemed (seems and are = two different things) that the Bible was a little off when it says that His commandments are not burdensome? (I John 5:3) Such has been my week.

I so want to sound like I am always full of faith, that I might encourage others. But it seems there are times when God brings me down to get my attention. A week where reality was a little bit much. Where solace in music and TV sounded like a pretty good idea. So I'm going to be real. I don't know how else to serve you. To put on a plastic smile is to deceive. Jesus brings real joy, not rigid grins. So, weary but still pursuing, I address myself to you my friends and hope you will join me in "setting our minds above, where Christ is" (Col. 3:1).

We are reading a hard part of the Bible. If I wrote this book, I would say to skip this section. It is hard going and technical. But I didn't write this book and I can't promise what God promises. He says that all of His Bible is breathed out from Himself and is all profitable that we might be fully equiped to be godly (II Tim. 3:16 paraphrase). So we have to trust Him.

What have we found? Lists and building plans and regulations and directions for sacrifices. Wow, how do these apply? I am not going to build a tabernacle--not a real one for sure. I don't plan on slaughtering any goats, rams, or lambs either (not that I have any rams). And I don't have leprosy. I doubt you do either. But it still applies to our lives. How then?
Question 1: What does it tell us about God?
Answer: He is peculiarly different. He requires blood and death to pay for sins. He is horrible from a certain point of view. If I was an Israelite at that time, I think I would be very afraid. I don't know if I would like God very much. I would probably do Him honor and respect Him, but I don't think that I could love a God who is only revealed in wrath and purity. Mostly just because I am so different from that. I am not the type of person who could hang out with God. He is holy. My heart is corrupt and has a constant bent to serve itself. It may be gross to say it, but I have a real battle with loving Charlie most of all (to not do it). How ungodly. And He says be holy. Can you walk with me here? Does your heart cry out when you see all of this? Do you understand what Peter was talking about when he mentioned that these things were more than the fathers or the disciples could bear? (Acts 15:10) Too much! My heart screams "depart from me, I am a sinful man, O Lord!" Do you feel the same? We could never handle all of these rules, never pull off perfection. Did you notice the part about the sacrifices you have to make for unintentional sins? I would be the brokest fella on the block. No sheep at my ranch.
But isn't that what the old law was meant to do? (cf. Gal. 3:24) To show us that we are not able, to humble us into the dust. Do you know the verse that says "God opposes the proud, but He gives grace to the humble"? (James 4:6) Grace. Here we are again. After reading Exodus do we have a better appreciation of it? How needy are we?! We have need of a righteousness not our own, a righteousness to make up for all of our un-righteousness. And death and blood.

I will not finish this thought. That is for you to think through. I leave you an open ended thought. I hope you finish it. I only ask that as you read through the Old Testament, that you obey the apostle Paul's instruction to Timothy, "Remember Jesus Christ" (II Tim. 2:8).